Reinforced girdle



Nov. 22, 1949 c. STONE 2,489,l l 1 REINFORCED GIRDLE Filed Sept. 27, 1947 INVENTOR.. CHARLES STONE Patented Nov. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REINFORCED "GIRDLE Charles Stone, New York, N. Y.

Application September 27, 1947, Serial No. 776.602-

1 Claim.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in. girdles for women.

According to the present invention, the girdle, while provided around the same with side and back panels of elastic webbing, and with these panels preferably alternating with non-elastic panels, is characterized further, at its front section, by the inclusion of elastic webbing means for allowing in two pairs of hor zontally spaced areas, one such pair at the top region and the other at the bottom region of said front section, a maximum degree of stretch girthwisely of the body at the top and bottom of said front section, and also elastic webbing means in two horizontally spaced areas at regions of the abdominal wall lower than said top region for allowin a less readily yielda'ole stretch girthwisely of the body, and also elastic-webbing means in two horizontally spaced areas at a region of the abdominal wall at a level below the level of the second-mentioned means for there allowing no stretch girthwlsely of the body.

As the invention is preferably carried out, the first-named means is comprised at each of its two said pairs of areas of a single layer or ply of elastic webbing with the threads thereof extending girthwisely of the girdle; the secondnamed means is comprised at each of its said two areas of two plies of elastic webbing, one of which is a portion of the elastic webbing comprising the first-na1ned means and the other of which is an added ply of elastic webbing, with the threads of both these plies extendin girthwisely of the girdle; and the third-named means is comprised at each of its said two areas of two plies of elastic webbing, one of which is a portion of said elastic webbing comprising the firstnamed means the other of which is an added ply of elastic webbing, with each of said added plies having its elastic threads extended at such an angle to the girthwise extension of thegirdle that at the two areas of the thirdmamed means the front of the girdle is nomelastic.

A further feature of the invention is that, between the said top pair of areas of said firstnamed means and between the said two areas of the second-named means and also at least partially between the two said areas of the thirdnamed means, there is, at the center of the front of the girdle and extending from the top thereof to well down on the same, a panel of freely flexible inelastic material.

Still another feature is that, with the bottom of said panel v-shaped, said ply added at each of the two areas of the second-named means has 2 obliquely inclined edges at top and bottom, and said ply added at each of the two areas of the third-named means has also obliquely inclined edges at top. and bottom; the two added plies of the third-named means being shaped and merged to provide a V-shaped subdivision of the front of the girdle immediately below the said V-shaped bottom of said panel.

As aresult, while said first-named and secondnamed means allow girthwise expansion of the girdle at opposite sides of said panel but to differential extents at different points along the height of the panel, and while at the very top limit of the panel and at the lowermost portion of the front sectionv of the girdle highly unrestricted girthwise expansion is permitted, the main load pressure from a sagging abdomen. is taken. up by said third-named means to allow proper correction of abdominal sag by the differently 'resiliently acting. first-named and thirdnamed means, these two means coacting with each. other to comfortably support the abdomen, flatten the front thereof and distribute the flesh masses in a way to give a desired profile. The front section of the girdle thus provides an ideal variable restraint of the abdominal wall. in a way to urge sag upward toward the central part of the chest, and at the same time the elastic panels at the sides of the girdle resist side displacement of the waist and lower chest area and the elastic panels at the back of the girdle tend to flatten the back to the body.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a girdle with panel sections united to each other by seams which afford ventilation of the body enclosed by the girdle.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the improved girdle.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view showing the interior of the front section of the girdle, that is, with the girdle turned inside out.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the girdle.

Fig. 4' is an elevational view showing the inside of the rear section of the girdle, that is, with the girdleturned inside out.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view, showing certain of the parts seen in Fig. l, and further show--.

3 ing some of said parts broken away to expose underlyin parts.

Referring to the drawing, which illustrates the practical embodiment of the invention, it designates a girdle for compressing or confining the abdominal area of the body of a woman, and includes the front section H. which comprises the right panel l2 and the left panel l3. Each of these panels is constructed of elastic Webbing and extends from the top of the girdle to the bottom thereof.

The panel I2 is formed with a wide lower section IF, and a narrow top section li and is connected by the open seam I4 to the side panel l5, the seam It providing free body, ventilation, because it affords numerous normally open holes between the connecting edges of the panel section l2 and the side panel [5.

The panel l3 is formed with a wide lower section I3 and a narrow upper section l3 and its outer approximately straight edge is secured to the side panel it by the open ventilating seam l1 and by the slide fastener hooks l8, which are closed and released by means of the usual slide l9.

The wide lower sections l2 and l3 of the two panels are secured to each other by the open ventilating seam at, above which the panel I2 is formed with an upwardly inclined edges l2 and the panel I3 is formed with a similarly inclined edge IS.

A central panel 2| of non-elastic and flexible dress fabric is placed between the inner confronting edges of the sections 2 and I3 and secured thereto by the open ventilating seams 22 and 23. The three panels I 2, l3 and 2| thus form the composite front section of the girdle.

Referring now to the elastic webbing components of the panels l2 and I3, whereby the aforesaid first-named means, second-named means and third-named means are provided, extended from the top to the bottom of each of said panels is a single sheet of elastic webbing 24 for providing also the full width of the panel.

A second sheet of elastic webbing 25 is connected to a third sheet of elastic webbing 25 by a seam 25, these sheets being respectively cut as shown to result in the production of a substantially L-shaped member; and one such member is attached as shown to the rear of the sheet 24 of each of the panels l2 and It, by stitching running all around said member as indicated.

Note that the tops of the sheets 25 are outwardly downwardly inclined away from the vertical center line of the front section of the girdle, with the upper ends of such tops spaced below the top of the girdle at opposite sides of the central panel 2 Note, too, that the bottoms of said sheets 25 are also outwardly downwardly inclined, at the seams 25', away from points near the upper ends of the V-shaped lower portion of said panel 2|. Note further that outwardly of said seams the sheets 25 are outwardly upwardly inclined away from said center line of the front section of the girdle. Note that the sheets .25 are outwardly upwardly inclined away from said center line, and that these sheets at their upper edges are in accord with the V-shaped lower portion of the central panel 2| and at their lower edges are in line with the bottom edges of the sheets and that, with the upper ends of the sheets 25 at the seams 25, the lower ends of said sheets are at the vertical seam 2G by which the lower enlarged portions of the panels are joined. 1

As indicated by surface markings on the sheets 24, 25 and 25 the sheets 24 and 25 are so ar- 4 ranged that the elastic threads of both thereof extend girthwisely of the girdle; while the sheets 2'5 are so arranged that the elastic threads thereof extend at such angles to the elastic threads of the sheets 24 and 25 that the areas defined by said sheets 25 are non-elastic.

The aforesaid upper pair of horizontally spaced areas of maximum stretchability of the aforesaid first-named elastic webbing means, and the aforesaid lower pair of horizontally spaced areas of maximum stretchability of said first-named elastic Webbing means, are, respectively, now to use reference characters applied only in Fig. 5, the pair of areas 28, 26 and the pair of areas 26', 26.

The aforesaid pair of horizontally spaced areas of a less yielding stretch girthwisely of the girdle and constituting the aforesaid second-named elastic webbing means are the areas of the sheets 25.

The aforesaid pair of horizontally spaced areas of the third-named elastic-webbing means are the areas of the sheets 25 which, as just above pointed out, are non-elastic.

The intermediate or central panel 2| is stiffened by means of metal or other stays 27 and 28, secured in pockets attached to the rear or inner side of the panel 2|, by the seam stitching 29. These stays are located inparallel relationto the straight outer sides of the panel 2|, and do not extend to the diagonal seams at the bottom of the panel 2|.

The slide fastener group is protected from direct contact with the body by means of the protecting strip Ell which is stitched to the inner side of the front section.

The side panel I5 is connected at its rear vertical and straight edge by the open ventilating seam 3| to the elastic panel strip 32, and the side panel I6 is connected by the open ventilating seam 33 to the elastic panel strip 34. The inner vertical edges of the elastic panel strips 32 and 34 are connected to the intermediate non-elastic back panel 35, by the open ventilating seams 36 and 31.

Hose supporters 38 are provided on the lower end of the girdle for supporting hose and may be of an suitable construction.

The covering strip 39 is equipped with hooks 3|! of a hook and eye coupling series to engage the eyes 30 secured in vertical order on the girdle.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

In a girdle having a central panel of non-elastic material extended from the top edge downward to a point above the bottom edge of the girdle and having a V-shaped bottom portion, a pair of opposed side panel each having a narrow top section having straight inner edges secured to the sides of the central panel and wide lower sections having straight inner edges secured to each other below the apex of the V-shaped bottom portion, said straight inner edges of said top sections and said 1 lower sections being joined by inclined edges exing formed of one-way stretch elastic webbing extended from the top to the bottom of the girdle and having their elastic threads arranged to stretch girthwisely, each of said top inner sheets being formed of one-way stretch elastic material disposed behind the narrow top sections offthe outer sheets and having their elastic threads arranged to stretch girthwisely, each of said top inner sections being formed at their bottom ends with downwardly and inwardly inclined portions extended partially toward the attached straight inner edges of said wide lower sections parallel to the adjacent edges of the V-shaped portion, each of said bottom inner sheets being disposed behind the outer sheets between the attached straight inner edges of said wide sections and the adjacent edges of the downwardly and inwardly inclined portions of said top inner sections said top inner sections and said bottom inner sections having their adjacent edges secured together along lines which extend downwardly and inwardly toward the inner edges of said wide lower REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,128,568 Wipperman Aug, 30, 1938 2,323,717 Lewis July 6, 1943 2,338,193 McMichael Jan. 4, 1944 

